A Story of Friends
by frodoschick
Summary: Four friends have a vision of the future. A future where their children could learn magic in peace, a future where they would all be safe. All seems well at first; but when words are said and cannot be taken back, friendships and trust are broken. This is the story of the Founders. This is the story of Hogwarts.


The rain poured down in sheets, making the darkness blurry. Forms rushed in-between the trees, dodging out of sight behind bushes and rocks. They were running. Shouts in the distance gave herald to their chasers, far enough behind them to merit a little more caution over the slippery loam and leaves. They came to stop, hidden behind a copse of trees.

"Where to go?" one panted, pulling his hood further over his sopping face and hair. "They'll not give up this time."

"Not until we're all tied to stakes." whispered a smaller figure beside him, drawing her drenched child closer. "Even our wee ones."

Their leader looked behind them, judging the distance of shouts and the sounds of pursuit. He dared not risk pulling forth his wand and lighting their faces or even to grant himself a bit more warmth. "We cannot go backward. We must only go forwards."

Another member of the party snorted. "Thank thee for that. As if it t'were not obvious."

The leader shook his head. He was a good foot taller than the rest, with broad shoulders. "Hush thou mouth, Zachariah." He looked to the others running with him. "They will not venture much further into this wood. They know the legends and are afraid."

A crash, much closer than expected, made the woman shriek, clutching at her child. The leader drew forth not his wand, but his sword. He advanced towards the noise. "Show thyself!" he commanded. There came footfalls upon the forest floor, coming unabashedly closer all the time. Then, from the rain, they beheld a unicorn. It stepped towards them, lowering it's head in an unmistakable bow. With a sigh of relief, the leader sheathed his sword once more, dropping into a bow as he did so. "You frightened us, old friend."

The unicorn bobbed it's head and walked past them, deeper into the woods. They watched without a word. Then it turned and looked back towards them. It gave a gentle jerk of it's head and started forward again. "He means us to follow."

"G-Go further into these words?" hissed the one called Zachariah. "Are thee mad?"

"Madder still if I were to sit here and allow that mob of Muggles to catch up to us." The leader admonished him. He gestured to the mother and child. "Come, Mariel, we must hurry." The mother and child hurried alongside their chosen leader. Zachariah hesitated for a moment before rushing after them as they followed the unicorn deeper and deeper into the dark forest. The shouts of the Muggle mob slowly faded behind them, the almost heavenly glow of the unicorn guiding them through the trees. A long time later, they broke free of the trees, alongside a path.

The beaten path wove itself through the valley along the edge of the forest, worn down by many years of shoes and wheels passing by. The unicorn nodded down the path, towards the mountains. The leader nodded and thanked the unicorn with a bow.

"Many thanks, old friend. I'm afraid I would still be lost without thy help."

The unicorn bowed in return, then turned and made it's way back into the forest. The child looked up at his mother. "Mother, my feet hurt."

"Oh, do they indeed, young man?" asked the leader, kneeling beside the lad. The boy nodded and with a booming laugh, the leader swept him up and placed him on his shoulder. "Then never you fear, I shall be your pony!" The little boy shrieked with laughter and his mother smiled. "We shall make better time now." He observed as they all started forward once more. "The rain should be ceasing soon."

Zachariah muttered and mumbled the entire way, clutching his coat about him in the darkness. They made their way up the path to an old signpost pointing towards a fork in the road. A little way beyond that, the wall of a village could be seen. They all broke into smiles upon seeing it. They hurried their feet and soon were at the berth of the gate. The leader lifted his great fist and knocked upon the wood.

"Who goes there? Be ye friend or foe?"

"Tis I, Godric, back from my mission. I have three others with me."

"What be their names?"

"Zachariah Zambini, Mariel Wortcloth and..." he paused and jostled his shoulders, awakening the little one. "What is your name, lad?"

"David." Little David yawned, settling his head back down onto Godric's head.

"And little David Wortcloth." Godric chuckled. "Now let us in, man!"

The gates grunted, then groaned as they opened inwards. The skinny and pointed gatekeeper held up a wand, glowing with light. "So it is. And you know the rules, Gryffindor."

"Peace, Filch. Now let us pass."

They entered the gates and Filch closed them behind them, locking and sealing them with protective spells. Godric jostled the little boy upon his shoulders again. "Come now, Davvy. Surely you don't want to miss your first look at the village of Hogsmeade." David managed to rouse himself enough to look at the many ramshackle buildings, some glowing with light, others dark and quiet. Godric walked them all down to a building with no name and opened the door. "This is the inn here." He explained, bustling his charges in. "It doesn't have a name yet, but I'm sure my friend will change that soon."

A plump woman with curly hair of wheat came bustling out of a room towards the back of the main room, dressed in robes of black and gold. "Oh, Godric!" She exclaimed, running around the many long tables and benches to them. "You got them out. This is marvelous! Hello, little one!" She beamed as Mariel reached up and pulled David from Godric's broad shoulders. "Oh, what a sweet little wizard!" she beamed, cooing over sleepy David's dropping head. "Come, come, dear. You must be exhausted. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need to. I have a spare room right over here-" Her voice faded as she lead Mariel up the staircase to the second floor.

Zachariah thudded his boots against the floor and sank onto a bench. Godric beamed after her. "Ah, Helga. Such a good soul." Zachariah's head snapped up.

"You don't mean Helga Hufflepuff. Of _the_ Hufflepuffs?"

Godric nodded. "I do indeed. The Hufflepuffs have been most generous to us in this time of need."

Zachariah sat stunned for a moment or two. "So...the rumors are true."

Godric seemed to swell twice his normal size with pride. "I shall show thee in the morning." he boomed, grinning broadly. "For now, there are rooms in the inn not yet taken and ye have had a very long and trying day. Helga!"

The plump witch came hurrying back down, shushing Godric with flaps of her arms. "Hush, Godric, hush! The wee one has just gotten to sleep, hush thee now."

Godric chuckled. "Ah, the wee lad. He shall make a fine wizard one day."

Helga wagged a finger at him, looking mockingly severe. "Now, don't you try to steal him away for your House before we can even get a word in edgewise, Sir Godric."

Godric shook his head, laughing as he held up his hands in defeat. "And risk thy wrath? Nay, good Helga. I'll not." He waved a large paw at Zachariah. "Now my friend Zambini needs a bed. Is there one upon the ground floor?"

Helga nodded, gathering up her skirts. "Right this way, Sir Zambini." She smiled at him, gesturing for him to follow. Zambini quickly shook his hat off of his head.

"Nay good Madame Hufflepuff, tis simply Zachariah."

Helga blushed and burst into giggles and laid about slapping Godric all about his shoulders and arms. "Godric, you promised you'd not tell!"

Godric laughed and defended himself to the best of his ability. "Peace, Helga, peace!" he laughed, retreating. "Very well, I'm gone, I'm gone!" He hugged her farewell, then adjusted his sword and wand, leaving the inn. Helga laughed and waved her hands to cool herself off.

"Oh, that Godric." Helga panted, giggling. "Now, Zachariah...your room is over here." She smiled, gesturing him to a hallway. She led him down the hallway to one of the doors. "This one is unoccupied." Zachariah opened the door to see a simple but cozy room, with a patchwork quilt upon the bed. "Breakfast will be on the tables in the main room around sunrise." Helga smiled. "Sleep well." Zachariah smiled and nodded, closing the door behind him.

Helga finally allowed herself to yawn. What with refugees coming in every single day and night, it had been weeks since the construction began and she hadn't yet gotten a full night's rest. She returned to her rooms, trying to stifle more yawns. Her room was just as simple as the others, with a few more books and a sun and moon dial on the windowsill next to her small herb garden. Once glance at that and she knew it would be unwise to go back to bed. Breakfast needed to be made. Rooms needed to be cleaned. And later in the day, they would have another gathering, to discuss the way that their future school would come to be.

There was no time for sleep. History was writing itself. And she had biscuits to make.


End file.
